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Desert AIDS Posts

Mode at Revivals featured during Moderni …

by Desert AIDS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Steven Henke
[email protected]
(760) 656-8401

Mode at Revivals Furniture Benefits Desert AIDS Project

Collection featured during Modernism Week Events

PALM SPRINGS, CA (February 17, 2017) – Revivals Stores will celebrate its new store location in Palm Desert with a ribbon cutting by the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce on March 15 at 4 PM followed by a hosted mixer at 5 PM.  The location of the Palm Desert store is 72-885 Hwy 111 (across from Westfield Mall).

During Modernism Week, it’s assortment of new Mode at Revivals furniture, lighting, rugs, accessories, and wall décor will be featured in The Desert Sun’s booth at CAMP, Modernism Weeks Community and Meeting Place, and in the Christopher Kennedy Compound’s Resource Room. Revivals will be creating living room spaces that showcase its new furniture collections to let designers and tastemakers know that purchasing through Revivals supports Desert AIDS Project.

Christopher Kennedy competed in this year’s Dancing with the Desert Stars to benefit Desert AIDS Project and was quick to say yes to including Mode at Revivals furniture within the now iconic Modernism Week event.

Attendees of the February 11 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards partied late into the night surrounded by three collections of Hollywood Regency style Mode at Revivals furniture which became the setting for a live concert by La Bouche at the after-party.

About Revivals Stores

The very first Revivals store was opened in 1995, in a back corner of the Desert AIDS Project office on Vella Road. Since those earliest days, the funds raised through selling donated goods at Revivals has gone back to support client services at D.A.P., while also providing a great volunteer opportunity for those who want to support the organization with their time and retail talents. It continues to be a destination for bargain hunters, designers, and style influencers looking for unique items and creative inspiration.

Today, Revivals has three locations – Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and the newest location in Palm Desert. The stores are largely volunteer-run, enabling Revivals to make a significant financial contribution to the annual budget of Desert AIDS Project. Donations of clothing, furniture, small goods, and home décor help Desert AIDS Project to provide our community with needed medical, dental, counseling, and social support services– including nutrition, housing, and much more.

Revivals Stores won ‘Best Furniture Store’ and ‘Best Consignment / Resale Store’ in Desert Outlook Magazine’s 2017 Ultimate Pride Contest and was named Best Consignment / Resale store in Desert Magazine’s 2017 Best of the Valley Contest.

Visit revivalsstores.com and desertaidsproject.org to learn more.

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Meet the Provider: Hector Paul Vizoso

by Desert AIDS

Helping to keep our operations running smoothly in the health center is Hector Vizoso, D.A.P.’s Clinical Quality Improvement Coordinator/Nurse Manager. Fluent in Spanish, he prides himself on being a creative problem solver and leader, adept at managing projects and people while providing support and promoting a cohesive team environment.

After receiving his BA degree in Medical Sociology from Hunter College in New York City, graduating cum laude with departmental honors, Mr. Vizoso headed west and became a Registered Nurse at Monterey Peninsula College. He later received his Master of Science in Nursing Administration at California State University.

Mr. Vizoso has also stood on the teaching side of the college podium – first as an Assistant Professor at San Francisco State University, teaching a practicum in Nursing Fundamentals, and later at the University of Phoenix, teaching Evidence-Based Nursing Research & Practice. His clinical and academic experience has led him to contribute to a variety of research projects, as well as journal articles and abstracts.

After extensively participating in the study of medical marijuana, in 2015 Mr. Vizoso presented “Vaporization as a Smokeless Cannabis Delivery System: A Pilot Study“ to the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine in Leiden, Netherlands. For five years, he was Research Nurse Clinician/Study Coordinator responsible for independently managing medicinal marijuana studies for HIV and cancer patients, funded by the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, including on-site monitoring.

Mr. Vizoso is a member of a number of professional societies including the Association of Nurses, the Oncology Nursing Society, the Honor Society of Nursing, and the International Association of Clinical Research Nurses.

Pointer Sisters and La Bouche to headlin …

by Desert AIDS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Steven Henke
[email protected]
(760) 323-2118 X117
 

Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala 2017

“The Pointer Sisters and La Bouche headline entertainment”

PALM SPRINGS, CA (December 20, 2016) – Over 1,500 D.A.P. supporters will walk the red carpet at the Palm Springs Convention Center when they attend the 2017 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala benefitting Desert AIDS Project on February 11.  The red carpet will be flanked by an art installation featuring the sculptures of Karen & Tony Barone and over 100 D.A.P. volunteers ready to usher the fashionable crowd into the reception or to one of the media fashion outposts near the carpet for interviews with local media and fashion celebrities.

As sculptors, Karen & Tony Barone have amassed a “big” reputation for life-size figurative and larger-than-life metal sculptures in sparkly & shiny paint colors.  The couple built a name making important the things sometimes considered ordinary.

For 23 years, the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala has raised millions of dollars to care for people living with HIV.  First organized by and named for famed interior designer Steve Chase – a former D.A.P. donor, volunteer, and board member – the gala is a highlight of the desert social season.  D.A.P. is proud to welcome a new major sponsor this year – Alta Verde Group and its founder Andrew Adler.

Details are emerging about the exclusive VIP pre-event presented by Patti and Jack Grundhofer with additional sponsorship from Eisenhower Medical Center. The location is the fabled Pond Estate, home to some of the valley’s most memorable fundraisers.  The property was built for Robert and Jo Pond in the late 1980s. Robert Pond co-founded the Palm Springs Air Museum and both he and his wife were active in philanthropy.  The estate features a white Spanish-style mansion and two guest houses creating a retreat compound with a total of 10 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms.

‘The Chase’, as many call the gala, has a reputation among trend setters as one of the few gala events at which attendees are encouraged to have fun and take risks with fashion.

Returning Co-Chairs Dr. Suzanne Quardt, MD, Patrick Jordan, and Dave Morgan promise the same sort of audience frenzy delivered last year by Chaka Khan, who caused the audience to jump out of their seats and join her at the front of the stage to dance while singing along with the iconic performer.  This year everyone is sure to be singing “I’m So Excited” when The Pointer Sisters headline the show!

Patrons of the gala know to pace themselves during the evening so they have energy left for its famous after-party, which will feature performances by the 90s dance duo LaBouche, DJ’s, and a series of tightly guarded surprises revealed as guests dance the night away.

Honorees of this year’s gala will include:

Humanitarian Barbara Keller who served as Steve Chase Co-Chair for seven years and continues to serve on the D.A.P. Board of Directors and Co-Chair of 100 Women annual giving program.

Eisenhower Medical Center’s President and Chief Executive Officer, G. Aubrey Serfling and its Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Martin J. Massiello.

Eisenhower Medical Center is a strategic partner in achieving D.A.P.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley’s goals of routinizing HIV testing and linking people diagnosed with HIV to care.

Desert AIDS Project CEO, David Brinkman, spoke recently about the February 11, 2017 gala.  “By attending the 23rd Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, you’re helping to make health happen in the Coachella Valley.  Your compassionate support empowers Desert AIDS Project to think globally and act locally.  By joining us at the Steve Chase, you join us in our commitment to 90-90-90, the bold strategy set forth by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) to end the AIDS epidemic by 2020.”

By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.

People can carry the HIV virus for years and not know it.  The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.  Your support enables D.A.P.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley program to provide free and confidential HIV testing at hundreds of community events and dozens of test sites – from health fairs and food banks, to Walgreens and D.A.P.’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK.

By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.

When someone with HIV is on the appropriate medications, they become 96% less infectious to others.  Thanks to attendance at the Steve Chase and other fundraising events, Desert AIDS Project ensures that newly-diagnosed HIV positive patients receive the medications they need to survive and thrive, and regular follow-ups to safeguard their well-being.  D.A.P.’s Patient Assistance Program secures critical HIV and other medications at reduced cost.

By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

To suppress the virus to an undetectable level, an individual must start on medication as early as possible and stay on it for a lifetime. This can be challenging when facing other serious challenges.  That’s the driving force behind D.A.P. Total Care – the comprehensive combination of health and wellness services which are uniquely tailored to each individual – including medical, dental, mental health, social services, support groups, substance abuse counseling, and much more – all conveniently provided under one roof at D.A.P.’s Palm Springs location.

Brinkman is looking forward to thanking attendees at the 23rd Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, for sharing D.A.P.’s commitment to this bold strategy, and for becoming D.A.P.’s partner in reaching the end of the epidemic.  Funds raised at the gala will enable Desert AIDS Project’s dedicated team of medical and social service professionals to serve more than 3,600 individuals.  “This is a partnership. Together with the people who support Desert AIDS Project, we’re enhancing the health and wellness of our entire community.”

To buy tickets to the 23rd Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, go to DesertAIDSProject.org or call 760-992-0445.

About Desert AIDS Project

Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.) is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Palm Springs, CA offering D.A.P. Total Care – a combination of medical, dental, counseling, social services, support groups, alternative therapies, in-house pharmacy and lab, and other health and wellness services.  D.A.P.’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK, offers STD testing and treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and free HIV and HCV testing. D.A.P.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign, the nation’s first region-wide HIV testing and access to care initiative, was recognized by the White House for helping to bring about an AIDS-free future.  D.A.P. is rated a “Top 20 HIV Charity” by About.com. Visit www.desertaidsproject.org, www.thedockclinic.org, and www.gettestedcoachellavalley.org to learn more.

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Join the fight to save health care for p …

by Desert AIDS

Congress is rushing to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as soon as President-Elect Donald Trump takes office. Congress does not have a replacement health care plan and there is no guarantee that millions of Americans will continue to have access to quality, affordable health care. Low-income people living with HIV and viral hepatitis are particularly at risk, as they rely on access to affordable insurance and medications to stay healthy.

Members of Congress, including some in California, have said that their constituents do not depend on the ACA for quality, affordable health insurance. We need your help to educate members of Congress and save the ACA!

This week is a national week of action for health care and we are asking you to do two things: Call your senators and representative. 

1. Call your senators and representative. You can find yours here. You can then call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and a switchboard operator will connect you directly with the congressional office you request.

Sample message: Do not repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. It will cause millions of Americans to lose health care and create chaos in the U.S. health care system. [If you can, please share what health coverage means to you, your family, and your community.]

2. Families USA, one of our national partners, is mobilizing health care advocates and patients across the country to raise awareness about the dangers of repealing the ACA. Join their “Protect Our Care” thunderclap today, asking Congress to protect healthcare. Learn more here.

Thank you for taking action to protect health care access for millions of people across the country!

Yours in health,
David Brinkman
CEO
Desert AIDS Project

Join the fight to save health care for p …

by Desert AIDS

Congress is rushing to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as soon as President-Elect Donald Trump takes office. Congress does not have a replacement health care plan and there is no guarantee that millions of Americans will continue to have access to quality, affordable health care. Low-income people living with HIV and viral hepatitis are particularly at risk, as they rely on access to affordable insurance and medications to stay healthy.

Members of Congress, including some in California, have said that their constituents do not depend on the ACA for quality, affordable health insurance. We need your help to educate members of Congress and save the ACA!

This week is a national week of action for health care and we are asking you to do two things: Call your senators and representative. 

1. Call your senators and representative. You can find yours here. You can then call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and a switchboard operator will connect you directly with the congressional office you request.

Sample message: Do not repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. It will cause millions of Americans to lose health care and create chaos in the U.S. health care system. [If you can, please share what health coverage means to you, your family, and your community.]

2. Families USA, one of our national partners, is mobilizing health care advocates and patients across the country to raise awareness about the dangers of repealing the ACA. Join their “Protect Our Care” thunderclap today, asking Congress to protect healthcare. Learn more here.

Thank you for taking action to protect health care access for millions of people across the country!

Yours in health,
David Brinkman
CEO
Desert AIDS Project

Meet the Provider: Matt Moran

by Desert AIDS

Matt Moran is an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner (APNP) with specialty, post-graduate education and training in the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, and has completed a Fellowship in HIV medicine. He has also received the advanced education and training required to perform high-resolution anoscopies, which are used in the diagnosis and treatment of anal dysplasia. Mr. Moran has been involved in the design and implementation of clinical programs targeting anal dysplasia screening and research., to both assist with the triage and treatment of affected adults, and to provide consultation to other

Mr. Moran has been involved in the design and implementation of clinical programs targeting anal dysplasia screening and research, to both assist with the triage and treatment of affected adults, and to provide consultation to other healthcare providers.

Mr. Moran has provided leadership in developing clinical protocols necessary for anoscopy research, has provided insight into recruitment strategies for target populations, and has provided data safety monitoring to Principal Investigators and study statisticians.

From 2014-2016, Mr. Moran held a faculty position at the UCLA School of Nursing, where he provided instruction to Nurse Practitioners. He has been at Desert AID Project for 4+ years and we hope for many more.

Hepatitis Center of Excellence Opens at …

by Desert AIDS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
David Brinkman, CEO
Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.)
Tel: 760-992-0418
Email:  [email protected]

Hepatitis Center of Excellence Opens at Desert AIDS Project

Desert AIDS Project collaborates with Desert Oasis Healthcare to make state-of-the art Hepatitis testing and treatment accessible to the community.

PALM SPRINGS, CA, (December 5, 2016) –  Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.) has opened the doors today to the Hepatitis Center of Excellence – a new clinic designed to address a serious and growing need for Hepatitis care in the local community.  D.A.P. is collaborating with Desert Oasis Healthcare (DOHC) to staff the new Center with Infectious Disease Physicians and Pharmacists who specialize in Hepatitis care.

Hepatitis Center of Excellence
at Desert AIDS Project
1695 N. Sunrise Way (at Vista Chino)
Open Monday through Friday (except holidays) from 8AM-5PM
By appointment only; to make an appointment, call 760-992-0426
Patient entrance:  Through loading dock ramp on south side of building
Check-in at The DOCK reception desk

Located at D.A.P.’s main campus in Palm Springs, the new Hepatitis Center of Excellence will deliver comprehensive, state-of-the art expertise to manage, support and cure those afflicted with Hepatitis. Services will include non-invasive diagnostic testing and staging, improved access to curative treatments, and compassionate support for the many complex issues associated with a Hepatitis diagnosis.

The new Center anticipates its major emphasis will be testing and treatment of Hepatitis C (HCV), a contagious liver disease that ranges in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness that attacks the liver. Hepatitis C can lead to liver cancer, the need for liver transplants, and increased risk of death.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that every American born from 1945 through 1965 get a blood test for Hepatitis C.  Thanks to recent medical breakthroughs, Hepatitis C can now be cured with anti-viral medication(s).

The collaboration between D.A.P. and DOHC was first suggested to the administration of both organizations by Shubha Kerkar, MD, MACP.  Dr. Kerkar has served both healthcare organizations for more than 20 years and has been a lead provider of HCV care for both agencies.

“This collaboration is bringing the effective model of HCV care we’ve developed at DOHC, to the community served by D.A.P., which is an FQHC,” she explained, referring to D.A.P.’s status as a Federally Qualified Health Center.  The new Center, which will make testing and care accessible to a broader population, accepts most private insurance, Medicare and Medi-Cal.   Uninsured income-qualified patients can receive care at reduced costs.

While systematic valley-wide testing would be needed to determine HCV prevalence in the Coachella Valley, it is estimated that as many as 4,000 Coachella Valley residents currently live with chronic HCV.  Approximately 3.5 million people in the US live have HCV – with somewhere in the range of 40% to 85% unaware that they are infected.  It is estimated that 2-3% percent of the global population, or 150 million individuals, are infected with HCV.

There are parallels between the HCV and HIV epidemics, and co-infection of the two viruses is common.  Per David Brinkman, CEO of Desert AIDS Project, “The number of people in the U.S. living with HCV is about triple the number living with HIV. Approximately 20% of D.A.P.’s HIV patients are co-infected with HCV. While the symptoms of HIV can take up to 10 years to appear, a person can have Hepatitis C for many decades without symptoms,” he continued. “As with HIV, the only way to know if you have Hepatitis C is to get tested.”

One highly significant difference between the two diseases is that HCV can now be cured.  However, “If people wait until they have symptoms of HCV, it’s too late,” emphasized Dr. Kerkar.  “We’re now seeing patients in their sixties, seventies and eighties with HCV, and it seems to be just the tip of the iceberg,” she cautioned.   “Stage 4 Hepatitis C is irreversible.  We need to find people at stages zero, one, two and three.”

Although D.A.P. has provided HCV testing and treatment for many years, the new Center enables the agency to offer its patients DOHC’s state-of the-art model of Hepatitis C care, delivered by Physicians and Pharmacists who specialize in Hepatitis.  The DOHC model has been published and presented in State and Regional US forums.  Additionally, the agency’s own unique D.A.P. Total Care model — which holistically integrates case management, counseling, and other healthcare services – will help patients to maintain their Hepatitis C medication regimens.

With the opening of the new Center, DOHC will continue to operate its existing Hepatitis clinic in Palm Springs which has treated more than 200 of its members.

Hepatitis C is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, Hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants.

People can become infected with the Hepatitis C virus during such activities as

  • Sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs
  • Needlestick injuries in heath care setting
  • Being born to a mother who has Hepatitus C

Less commonly, a person can also get Hepatitis C virus infection through

  • Sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with another person’s blood, such as razors or toothbrushes
  • Having sexual contact with a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus

No vaccine for Hepatitis C is available. Research into the development of a vaccine is under way.

The CDC recommends that individuals talk to their doctor about being tested for Hepatitis C if any of the following are true:

  • You were born from 1945 through 1965.
  • You are a current or former injection drug user, even if you injected only one time or many years ago.
  • You were treated for a blood clotting problem before 1987.
  • You received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992.
  • You are on long-term hemodialysis treatment.
  • You have abnormal liver tests or liver disease.
  • You work in health care or public safety and were exposed to blood through a needlestick or other sharp object injury.
  • You are infected with HIV.

For more information about Hepatitis C from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, visit  http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/cfaq.htm

About Desert AIDS Project
Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.) is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Palm Springs, CA offering D.A.P. Total Care – a combination of medical, dental, counseling, social services, support groups, alternative therapies, in-house pharmacy and lab, and other health and wellness services.  D.A.P.’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK, offers STD testing and treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and free HIV and HCV testing. D.A.P.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign, the nation’s first region-wide HIV testing and access to care initiative, was recognized by the White House for helping to bring about an AIDS-free future.  D.A.P. is rated a “Top 20 HIV Charity” by About.com. Visit www.desertaidsproject.org, www.thedockclinic.org, and www.gettestedcoachellavalley.org to learn more.

About Desert Oasis Healthcare (DOHC)
Desert Oasis Healthcare is a healthcare organization that serves the residents of the greater Coachella Valley and surrounding desert communities of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. DOHC is not an insurance health care plan. Rather, health care plans (Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Commercial) contract with DOHC who in turn contracts with a network of over 100 Primary Care Providers, over 200 specialists, hospitals and diagnostic centers, and a continuum of health care systems. The DOHC network serves over 70,000 members/patients.

Reflective of the ever changing healthcare world, DOHC has been evolving since 1981. Desert Oasis Healthcare is a member of Heritage Provider Network (HPN), and was the first organization of HPN formed in 1981 as Desert Medical Group. In 1992, Oasis Independent Physician Association was formed and in 2006, the organizations merged to form Desert Oasis Healthcare.

DOHC continues to grow its extensive network that includes Home Health, Family Hospice Care, Palliative Care, and Accountable Care Organizations to complement the network of agencies ready to serve you.

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The Healing Power of Reiki

by Desert AIDS

Looking for ways to relieve stress and increase your total health?  Explore the healing benefits of Reiki.

What is Reiki? Reiki is a Japanese healing technique based on the principle that the Reiki therapist can channel energy from the patient by means of touch to activate the natural healing process of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being. Known for helping to relieve stress and promote healing, Reiki is one of many ways to take care of your total health.

Reiki

During sessions, Reiki practitioners apply the Reiki healing technique by channeling energy into the patients by means of touch to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being.

While Reiki is not a stand-alone treatment, it compliments medical treatment in many ways including; helping to increase energy levels, reducing blood pressure, supporting spiritual growth, and helping the body relieve stress.

D.A.P. Total Care is proud to offer free Reiki services by Reiki Master John Strobel at the Client Wellness Services Center to all patients of D.A.P.

Reiki services are available by appointment only on Thursday and Friday of each week between 10:30AM – 12:00PM in the Meditation Room. Please call Curtis Howard 1-760-656-8414 to reserve your Reiki session with John.

Is PrEP right for YOU?

by Desert AIDS

Are you HIV negative but are at very high risk for HIV? Taken every day, PrEP can help keep you free from HIV.

What is PrEP?
PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a daily medicine that can reduce your chances of getting HIV. PrEP can help stop HIV from taking hold and spreading throughout your body. Daily PrEP reduces risk of getting HIV from sex by more than 90%. Among people who inject drugs, it reduces risk by more than 70%. Your risk of getting HIV from sex can be even lower if you combine PrEP with condoms and other prevention methods.

Is PrEP for you?
PrEP may benefit you if you are HIV negative and ANY of the following apply to you.

You are a gay/bisexual man and
• Have an HIV-positive partner
• Have multiple partners a partner with multiple partners, or a partner whose HIV status is unknown – and you also; have sex without a condom, or recently had a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
You are heterosexual and
• have an HIV-positive partner.
• have multiple partners, a partner with multiple partners, or a partner whose HIV status is unknown – and you also; don’t always use a condom for sex with people who inject drugs, don’t always use a condom for sex with bisexual men.
You inject drugs and
• Share needles or equipment to inject drugs
• Recently went to a drug treatment program
• Are at risk for getting HIV from sex.

Visit your doctor
• To find out if PrEP is right for you
• Every 3 months, if you take PrEP, for repeat HIV tests, prescription refills, and follow-up.
• If you have any symptoms while taking PrEP that become severe or don’t do away.

How can you get help paying for PrEP?
• Most private and state Medicaid plans cover PrEP. If you are on Medicaid, check with your benefits counselor.
• Schedule an appointment with our PrEP Benefits Navigation Specialist by calling 1-760-992-0492.
• Walk-in The DOCK, 1695 N. Sunrise Way (at Vista Chino), Monday – Friday 10am – 6:30 PM, to receive benefits assistance.

Content source: Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexual Transmitted Diseases and Tuberculosis Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Syphilis Rate Rising Significantly in Co …

by Desert AIDS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Bruce Weiss, Director of Community Health
Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.)
Tel:  760-323-2118 x455
Email: [email protected] 

Syphilis Rate Rising Significantly in Coachella Valley as STDs Reach All-Time High in U.S.

Desert AIDS Project urges all sexually-active individuals to protect themselves, test routinely, and seek needed treatment. Gay and bisexual men at especially high risk and should test every 3 months.

PALM SPRINGS, CA, (October 20, 2016) –  Newly-released data from the Riverside University Health System (RUHS) shows that the rate of syphilis in the Coachella Valley is rising significantly. The troubling trend mirrors a just-released report from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which shows the number of sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases has hit an all-time high nationally.

Desert AIDS Project and its sexual health clinic, The DOCK, are urging all sexually-active individuals to get tested regularly for STDs, get treatment if needed, and to use condoms to prevent the spread of infections such as syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia – particularly if having sex with multiple partners.

Syphilis rates in the Coachella Valley – as high as 192.3 per 100,000 in one zip code – are astronomically and alarmingly higher than the national rate just announced by the CDC as an unprecedented high in the United States:  7.5 per 100,000. The rise of the syphilis rate among local men is of particular local concern. According to the RUHS Public Health report Syphilis Incidence in Coachella Valley, 2015:

  • Syphilis rates more than doubled from 2013 to 2015, from 14.7 to 30.9.per 100,000.
  • Nearly 98% of all cases are among men.
  • The most impacted age group is 40 to 64.
  • In 2013 there were no cases in individuals 65+ old, however, in 2015 there were 6 cases in this age group – potentially signaling a new trend.
  • In 2015, Palm Springs and North Palm Springs continued to have the highest rates by a substantial margin.   Per 100,000 individuals, zip code 92258 had 192.3 reported cases, followed by 92264 with 167.1 cases and 92262 with 165 cases.  These three zip codes also saw large syphilis rate increases from 2013 to 2015.
  • Many Coachella Valley cities saw significant syphilis rate increases between 2013 and 2015.  Exceptions were a drop in cases and rates for Rancho Mirage, and almost all zip codes in Palm Desert, Thousand Palms, Indian Wells and La Quinta.
  • The largest number of cases and increase in rate between 2013 and 2015 were seen among individuals who identified as white, followed by those identifying as Latino/Hispanic.

Based on these findings, gay and bisexual men between 40 to 64 years old who live in Palm Springs or North Palm Springs are at particularly high risk for syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections.

According to Dr. David Morris, Chief Medical Officer for Desert AIDS Project, “The data and trends are troubling.  Syphilis sores increase the risk of spreading HIV. We also know that HIV can speed the progression of syphilis – a disease which can cause permanent physical damage.”

Fortunately, individuals can take effective steps to protect themselves from STDs and their harmful effects.  Stated Bruce Weiss, D.A.P.’s Director of Community Health: “The combination of condom use and STD testing is crucial to protecting yourself and to ending the spread of syphilis in our community.”

“Many people will have no symptoms and may not know they’re infected;” he continued.   “Syphilis symptoms can often look like other illnesses.  That’s why regular testing – every three months if you’re sexually active – is so important.”

For individuals taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication, “Remember that PrEP does not protect you from STDs, including syphilis.  Routine use of condoms is effective,” Weiss added.

According to the annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report just issued by the CDC on October 19, the reported number of STD cases has reached an unprecedented high in the United States. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are the three most commonly reported conditions.

“We have reached a decisive moment for the nation,” said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “STD rates are rising, and many of the country’s systems for preventing STDs have eroded. We must mobilize, rebuild and expand services – or the human and economic burden will continue to grow.”

The CDC report stresses that an effective response to the STD epidemic requires engagement from many players.  Specifically, they advise:

  • Providers: make STD screening a standard part of medical care, especially in pregnant women. Integrate STD prevention and treatment into prenatal care and other routine visits.
  • Public: talk openly about STDs, get tested regularly, and reduce risk by using condoms or practicing mutual monogamy if sexually active.
  • Parents and providers: offer young people safe, effective ways to access needed information and services.
  • State and local health departments: continue to direct resources to people hardest hit by the STD epidemic and work with community partners to maximize their impact.

For a link to the RUHS Public Health report Syphilis Incidence in Coachella Valley, 2015, visit The DOCK website www.thedockclinic.org   

For more information from CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, visit www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom.

About Desert AIDS Project

Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.) is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Palm Springs, CA offering a combination of medical, dental, counseling, social services, support groups, alternative therapies, in-house pharmacy and lab, and other health and wellness services.  D.A.P.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign, the nation’s first region-wide HIV testing and access to care initiative, was recognized by the White House for helping to bring about an AIDS-free future.  D.A.P. is rated a “Top 20 HIV Charity” by About.com. Visit www.desertaidsproject.org, www.TheDOCKclinic.org, and www.gettestedcoachellavalley.org to learn more.

About The DOCK

The DOCK sexual health clinic at Desert AIDS Project provides comprehensive sexual health services, information and support. The clinic’s quick, caring, and confidential services for individuals of all gender identities include: STD testing & treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and free HIV and HEP-C testing.  For more information, please visit www.TheDOCKclinic.org.